Cops: Deerfield woman nets over $100K in toilet fan scam

A Deerfield Beach woman scammed four people out of more than $100,000, according to Delray Beach police.

Sally Arlene Berry, 57, arrested on Tuesday, convinced people to invest in "Pan Fan," a real device described as something that attaches to the rear of a toilet, sucks air inside, and purifies it.

But instead of using the $107,000 of investment money to buy fans, police say subpoenaed bank records show money went toward clothes, spa services, dinners and more, according to the arrest report. Berry spent about $4,900 on the fans, according to the report.

Berry's first $30,000 investment came on June 8, 2011, from a 53-year-old Delray Beach hairdresser. The agreement said the woman would get all her money back on June 30, plus a percentage of profits and $50 for every fan sold.

But June 30 rolled around and the victim met with Berry, thinking she was getting all her investment money, plus $10,000 interest. When Berry asked the victim not to deposit the checks because the Citibank account was closed, she grew suspicious.

Police subpoenaed Berry's account and found it only had about $242 the day Berry wrote $40,000 worth of checks to the Delray woman.

Three other people came forward to police saying they loaned Berry money for the "Pan Fan" but were never paid as well.

She faces a fraud charge and was booked into Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday and released the same day on $4,500 bail.